My latest article

Yay!  My latest article is out.  This is the longest one I have had published thus far and I'm signed up for an even longer one for the March issue.  So excited!  How cool is it that people pay me to write?  I'm a lucky girl.

Here it is - click through to page 38.

The Hills

The super powers of a Superman costume

I have no issue with the high cost of Halloween costumes.  I would venture to say we get more wear out of our Halloween costumes than most people on the planet. Zachary insists on wearing his costumes all day long about once per month come rain or shine.  I usually look at it as one of those "it's not worth the fight"  situations and with a roll of the eye just let him do it. Then we usually spend our day at home and I catch up on the laundry and housework. Yesterday was different. 

Although my daughter has been in school for two weeks, it is just now the end of the summer for Zachy. He has one more week until school starts.  There have been moments where the week after Labor Day can't get here fast enough.
 
Yesterday he wanted to wear his Superman costume complete with cape. Fine, whatever, throw it on, let's get going we are going to be late! We rushed out the door to walk sissy to school and met up with our neighbors along the way.  Our sweet little 5 year old neighbor was very sad that he didn't have such a get up on and so my little superhero loaned him the cape. It was so genuine and thoughtful and I smiled at that amazing gesture that put a smile on his friend's face.

We went along our day of errand running - Target, Hancock Fabric, the Library, etc.  All along the way, countless ladies sweetly exclaimed how much safer they felt with a real live superhero in their midst. That thrilled him each time and he offered to get rid of any monsters or bad guys that they ran into. I saw person after person nudge their friend and point at my little guy with a huge smile on their face.  I think he should be given a medal for the public service of smiles and laughter he spread around the Kansas City area. Me included.  It was really fun and I was proud to have this creative, outgoing and wonderfully angelic boy on my arm.

But on the walk back to school to pick up sissy, I saw the true awesomeness of the super powers of my Superman.  A woman pulled up to us in her car with tears in her eyes and said she spotted us from two blocks away. She just had to turn around to come talk to us. Apparently her son wore the same type costume practically everyday for a year until it was in such shreds it no longer covered his little body. That boy is now a senior in college and 21 years old.  She said that seeing us was a joyous walk down memory lane and it brought her happily to tears. She thanked us for making her day and reminded me to enjoy this precious time because before I know it, my little super hero will be a 21 year old man ready to graduate college and face the world. Now guess who had tears in their eyes?

Life has been crazy this week. I'm conflicted on the job front, my husband has been traveling like a mad man and school started at its usual hectic pace. That was a reminder I really needed. I thanked the woman, picked up my little superhero and laughingly piggy backed him all the way to the school.

My 4 year old pimp

My son just turned four and he is really cute - as all four year old boys are. However he has a skill that I'm not sure many kids his age have mastered yet - picking up women. 

I was getting him from school one day a few months back and his teacher was cracking up. She explained she had a doozie of a story for me. She wasn't lying.

Apparently she was sitting next to Zach at lunch and he was quietly munching on his PB&J sandwich. All of a sudden he turned to her and said "heeeey girrrrl" (I wish my computer could talk to you so you could hear the perfect R&B sweet slow talk he did it in.)  The teacher, not knowing if she had heard him correctly said, "excuse me Zachary what did you just say?" 

Zachary, "I said, heeeey girrrrrl.  That is what my daddy told me I should say to the ladies."

After I hung up with my divorce attorney I fell all over myself apologizing to her that my son was trying to pick her up.  Thank God for her being her because she thought it was hilarious and actually had to excuse herself from the table to bust out laughing in the hallway.  She then proceeded to tell all the other teachers about it and now as they pass one another in the halls they all shout out "heeey girrrrl". 
Nice legacy for the Gedmans to leave behind at our little Christian preschool.

Fast forward to a few days ago when my husband (ok, I didn't kick him out after that incident but believe me he is walking on thin ice here) and Zachy went to Best Buy.  A sales girl came up to them and started discussing whatever item they were there to purchase.  At a lull in the conversation she bent down to Zach and said "Hi cutie, what's your name?"

His response? "I'm Zach", then lazily points his thumb at my husband and said "this is Dan." 

She ate that up and Dan was pretty sure at that point he could have taken her behind the refrigerator section and had his way with her.  He said Zach is the best wing man he's ever had. Nice.

Can't wait to see what he is like at 16.

Have you ever moved 4 people and 2 dogs by yourself? I have

Wow, I'm the worst person back from hiatus ever.  But I have an excuse, actually like 401 of them.  Here goes:

1) Decided on a Monday we were going to rent our house out instead of sell it.  Had to find renters.
2) Found them by Wednesday. Realized on Thursday we had to move out so they could move in.
3) Found movers.
4) They came 7 days later.
5) However, 4 days after we knew we were moving but 3 days before movers were coming we had 30 people at our house for end of year soccer party.  "Welcome to our home, do you mind packing that glass after you use it? Thanks much!" 
6) Husband was out of town for work 95% of this time.
7) Parents Day Out ends for son, so he is home - husband out of town, so he is not. I had to pack.
8) Son got stomach flu and threw up for 4 days.
9) Daughter's last day of school came the day before the big move. Lots of end of school yearish things to attend.
10) Movers came.  Was not prepared.  Was stuffing random doll shoes and dog brushes in boxes as they were carrying them out to the truck.
11) Husband was back in town but had a video shoot on day of said move - NO HELP.
12) Moved to new house. Had to get kids rooms sleepable in about a two hour period.
13) Side note - son walked into new house and exclaimed "Wow, what a lame house!"  Then he went on excitedly talking about how lame everything was. I'm thinking he didn't quite know the meaning of that word. At least I'm hoping he didn't because I've been killing myself here trying to move us all into the home where all of their childhood memories will be held. Ungrateful kid...
14) Husband stepped on a rusty nail day 2 of new home had to get a tetnus shot. I had to unpack.
15) I stabbed myself with a rusty sewing needle day 3 of new home, had to get a tetnus shot. I had to unpack.
16) Son stepped on a carpet tack day 4 of new home- luckily dr. said he has had his tetnus shot. I had to unpack.
17) Still waiting on E to do something that merits a tetnus shot- hasn't happened yet. She is always the showoff.
18) Son turned 4.  Earned worst parents of the year award by ignoring his bday on the actual day because we were having carpet installed that day. Thankfully he can't read a calendar. Had a grand family celebration the next day though.  I figure it really worked in his favor since he had to stop sucking his thumb on his 4th birthday - so he got an extra day
19) Held a bday party for 8 of his closest friends four days after said birthday
20) Had a BBQ at the new house for about 12 people for a work thing for my husband.
21) Have been actively looking for a new job through all of this.  Have actually applied to several and have two interviews next week.
22) Have had no cable or tv this entire time as we haven't decided which route we want to go with our service so have had to entertain the children in between unpacking boxes filled with couch pillows and lawn chemicals. 
23) Interview about 20 people for an article I am writing for a local magazine.
24) Drink. Heavily.  That one is self explanatory.
Whew! Okay, so maybe it is only like 24 excuses but I still think I have been one busy person. Sorry.  Really I am going to get back to blogging. Try and carry on all of you my loyal readers (dad), I know it will be hard but it will be worth the wait. Thanks!!!

Worst Stay at Home Mom EVER

So I am not working currently. This has all occurred in the past few days. Long story. Don't ask. It will hurt your brain to try and understand it.

Although I have worked since the day I had kids. I always had visions of myself being this amazing stay at home mom.  Cookies and milk waiting for the kids as they come home from school to tell me all the details of their day.  A house so spotless that you might actually want to serve a meal on the floor.  A cute little apron worn while cooking a perfectly balanced meal all the while sporting beautifully coiffed hair - all complete with shiny pearls around my neck.  Yes, I truly thought I could be that 50's Leave it to Beaver Mom.

Wanna hear the reality?
Currenly I am sitting here in my yoga pants and a fleece jacket (even though it is like 900 degrees outside, but can't find anything else clean) with my hair haphazardly thrown in a bun that has not been brushed since yesterday.  As I look around my messy house I am sniffing the smell of a birthday cake in the oven.  That would be the birthday cake I forgot to cook for my son's class today.  His birthday is is after school is out for summer and so his teacher and I decided I would have his birthday party today at school.  Yeah, guess who forgot about that until they got to his classroom and the teacher reminded her???  Yes, that would be me, stay at home mom of the year.

When I go up to school to deliver said cake I will also be taking Honey Bear's bag that I forgot.  Honey Bear is a stuffed animal that gets a chance to go home with everyone in the class for a few days.  This past week was our turn.  I was feeling pretty cocky as I walked into school knowing I had gone above and beyond and had printed out photos of our time with him, cut them in fun shapes and glued them around the a two page story written from Honey Bear's perspective about his adventures with our family.  Got a bit deflated when I realized I forgot to return the bag he travels in.

This is all after I forgot to pay the mortgage, then when I got it together enough to pay it, tried to do so at the wrong bank, forgot to buy napkins and then served my family juicy baked chicken legs for dinner last night and forgot to take drinks on the picnic my son and I went on yesterday.
It isn't pretty around here. I am such an organized person normally.  I pride myself in getting things to school before it is due and having my children's socks match and things of that nature. 

I need a job so I can get it together or my family may not survive.

Monte-sorry?

In the continuing saga that is my life, I have been researching prekindergarten schools for my almost four year old little guy. Until now he has been attending what I consider a normal preschool program. Each class has their own room, the classes are separated by age, they have a solid structure to their day, etc.
Today I toured a highly recommended Montessori school. I am a really laid back person but this place made me feel like I am wound tight as a Twizzler. I do know the Montessori philosophy is a tried and true one. In fact my brothers and I went to a Montessori school when we were young and I have numerous friends who send their children to Montessori schools now.  I do believe in its benefits - afterall I'm pretty sure all kids need to know how to tie shoelaces (even if kids shoes have gone the way of velcro) but I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the difference between this school and the one we have been attending.

My feelings of trepidation started when the woman who runs the school could not shake my hand because I had caught her in the middle of cleaning out the bunny cage. Hand shaking issues aside, she was very nice. During our tour she was a bit distracted by something that had happened just a few minutes before I got there (something bunny and poop related I am guessing). I get that, I work from home and have 2 kids and dogs. I live my life distracted. 

But being me, I started in on my list of 346 questions - all of which seemed to have the same answer - the kids work at their own pace and are allowed to explore what they like to do and who they are in their own time.  I'm cool with that, truly am, but I also have a 4 year old boy who needs to be Kindergarten ready in about 16 months so I want to make sure he isn't so busy exploring his interest of standing on his head that he forgets to learn his ABC's.

I know it doesn't sound like it but I really liked this school, it is just the laid back attitude and lack of walls that completely threw me.  I'm still trying to shake the feeling I was in a drug induced Alice in Wonderland dream.  The boy who couldn't be older than 3 that walked past me wearing a lab coat carrying a beaker filled with a bubbling blue liquid and had a bunny rabbit hopping happily behind him had a lot to do with that. 

Stay tuned to see where Z man ends up.  Next week we tour a private Catholic school...

A note to the birds

Dear birdies in my neighborhood,

I guess I should take it as a compliment to my house keeping skillz that you guys keep slamming into my windows but I'm a little tired of cleaning off bird shaped smudges. Also, the heart attack it gives me every time you do it has truly shortened my life expectancy.

PLEASE STOP!

Thank you,
The Robin's Nest (and yes I get the irony)

Someone please buy our house or it is going to burn down

My kids are typical kids. They are messy and break stuff - but ever since our house went on the market they have really upped their game.  They cannot stop breaking/destroying/soiling/scratching/denting/putting holes in/ripping things. 

About a week ago Z broke a  bottle of bright red nail polish on the white carpet in our master bedroom.  Nice.  Bright red isn't even a good color for him.

Yesterday I walked into a blue polka dotted kitchen.  After much interrogation of the kidlets I unearthed that Zachary had wanted to be a cowboy and decided to lasso his yogurt stick. After I finished scraping 1,000 blue dots off of the cabinets/floor/sink/paint on the wall/light switch/windows/cookbooks/kitchen rug/how much damn yogurt is in one of these sticks/, we (well not really me) came to the conclusion that this mess was my fault and I am a bad mom because  there is no way he can be a real cowboy without a rope. 

Yeah, right I am going to give this kid a rope, Lord knows what kind of damage he would do to our house with that. Someone please buy our house now, I'm not sure we have enough insurance to cover what is going to happen next.

KU/VCU the good and the bad

How KU's loss to VCU affects me:
As you may remember I have an amazing ability to make everything about me.  It is a gift really. But the horribly upsetting loss to VCU yesterday is affecting me in many ways - both good and bad.

1) Mopey Husband. The thing I hate even more than KU losing is the way it makes my husband mope around. I did ask and it will apparently take about four days for him to get over it.  He said by Wednesday he will be able to not think about it every other thought.  So that is good, looking forward to having him back.

2) For Sale House Love. Spring Break last weekend and KU this weekend, our poor house FOR SALE had no chance.  Now that it all over, just as I thought, we already have a few showings lined up this week. Let the bidding war begin!

3) Cleaned up Husband.  Admittedly he is definitely not one of those who has a standing haircut appointment every 4 weeks - but he was getting a bit scruffy lately - even for him.  I hadn't said anything and was probably about a week away from doing so when yesterday after the game yesterday he announced that he can now get his haircut.  Okay, great. Wait, huh? 

4) New House Love.  The kids bathroom in the new house has this ugly vanity with those Hollywood lights going up and over the entire thing.  E loves it and she is going to be sooo mad at me when she finds out my plans for that spot. Please don't tell her. I don't plan to until it is already done.  I'm sneaky like that.

Not only is it ugly, I find it to be dangerous.  It is a little desk surrounded in lightbulbs that I know my kids will either break and slice open lots of body parts or burn the heck out of themselves on - who thought that was a good plan?  Anyway, the hubs has agreed to tear that out and add shelves in their place - but he couldn't do it this past weekend because of the game. So next weekend the hammers start swinging! Woo Hoo! I can get abnormally excited about storage space, it excites me in ways it just shouldn't.

If we are keeping track here, it seems there are more good things about KU losing than bad.  But I'd trade it all and take a KU victory just to have the uber happy husband.  Awwww.

I'm baaaack!!!

So yeah my hiatus was more like a pregnancy.  Nooo, I'm not pregnant I just could have had a baby in the amount of time I was away from blogging.  Did you miss me?                        

Crickets                                              

Ahem, okay I get that. There were like 2 people who read this blog and I'm sure they moved on just fine without the daily chaos that I call my life.

When we last visited the Robin's Nest, E was starting Kindergarten and Robin was starting a new job.  Fast forward to now and E is almost out of school for the summer and Robin's (that would be me, why am I talking in the third person?) job seems to be coming to an end.  Unfortunately I was told I will not have a paycheck after May.  I'm a cool nice person and all but I am just not going to be able to work for free - especially considering we own two houses.  Oh, did I not mention that?  Yeah, we bought a new house about six weeks ago. Our current hosue is on the market, wanna buy it?

This isn't an oficial post, I just wanted to say I'm baaack - I'm picturing it in that creepy Jack Nicholson way from the Shining.  Who knows why.  I clearly didn't get un-weird during my hiatus.

Stay tuned for some good times!